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Almaty? Alma-Ata? Capital of Tajikistan?

What can I say about Almaty without embarrassing myself and insulting anyone? I know the Winter Olympics were held there some time ago (aging Dutch skaters keep reminding us that they won medals there) and my wife has been there (she’s a stewardess and “bad girls go everywhere,” as the saying goes).

That’s pretty thin, I admit, so I guess I need to know more. But before I consult the Great Oracle Of Global Life Etcetera, I would like to invite you to share your own ignorance by posting questions in the comments section below. And, with a bit of luck, some kind and wise resident of Almaty will quench our thirst for knowledge and save us some embarrassment.

Let’s start by setting the record straight: Almaty is not the capital of Tajikistan, nor is it the capital of Kazakhstan (Astana took its place in 1997). It is, however, the key commercial centre of Kazakhstan, located in the southern part of the country, near the border with Kyrgyzstan (thank you, Wikipedia). The city is also known by its former names Verny (which means “faithful”) and Alma-Ata (which means I get one point).

Jokes aside, the name Almaty derives from the words “alma” and “ata”, which respectively mean “apple” and “father” in Kazakh. The two words combined – Alma-Ata or Almaty – refer to a saint’s tomb in an apple orchard. Literally, “Father of the Apples”.

All of which brings me to a truly intriguing discovery: the region around Almaty is renowned for the many species of wild apples that grow there. Scientists from around the world come to study apples in and around Almaty, which is thought to be the ancestral home of the apples you and I (should) eat every day.

Having said all that, I’m tempted to change my title to: “Almaty: The Big Apple?” But I shall resist the temptation, because that would mean rewriting this whole piece. Instead, I will use the time I have saved to tell you that Almaty has never hosted the Winter Olympics, which means certain Dutch skaters are lying or I have grossly misinterpreted their words. I suspect it may be the latter, unfortunately.

I could, of course, go on regurgitating facts about Almaty and Kazakhstan, pilfered online, but that would be silly and perhaps even boring. Instead, I’ll leave you with words of wisdom from my father, who travelled the world as a salesman and claimed that one could tell a great deal about a country from the pictures on its banknotes.

This 20-tenge bill was one of the first Kazakh banknotes I came across online. Perhaps someone can tell us something about the man in the picture, and about the horse, rider and eagle on the reverse. And if you have any other interesting questions or intriguing facts about Almaty and Kazakhstan, feel free to share them below.

Meanwhile, I’m off to plan a trip to “The Big Apple”. I can’t wait to see the look on my wife’s face when we get there.

I grew up in South Africa and once vowed to travel the world! Well, I didn’t get much further than Amsterdam, where I have been living for the past 25 years. I spend my days writing and translating and staring at the sky, trying to guess where the planes are going. I will be mapping my ignorance o…

Medeo has seen many world records in all the speed skating distances from 1951 through the 1980s: 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, 3000 m, 5000 m and the 10000 m. In 1974 Dutch Atje Keulen Deelstra became European Champion in Alma Ata. The last great championship event on this ice rink was held in 1988 — the Men’s World Speed Skating Championship — which was won by the American skater Eric Flaim.

Medeo has seen many world records in all the speed skating distances from 1951 through the 1980s: 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, 3000 m, 5000 m and the 10000 m. In 1974 Dutch Atje Keulen Deelstra became European Champion in Alma Ata. The last great championship event on this ice rink was held in 1988 — the Men’s World Speed Skating Championship — which was won by the American skater Eric Flaim.

Thank you, Santusya! How intriguing and unusual to have a poet/composer/philospher on a banknote. According to Wikipedia, he also translated the works of Lermontov, Goethe, Lord Byron, Krylov and Pushkin. I tried in vain to find English translations of his poems online. Perhaps someone can point us in the right direction.

By the way if you will look to rest Kazakh banknotes you will find left or right hand of Kazakh president mr. N.Nazarbayev….That’ s really situation in this country – guy who is control everything in KZ, include each coupure…

Thank you, Santusya! How intriguing and unusual to have a poet/composer/philospher on a banknote. According to Wikipedia, he also translated the works of Lermontov, Goethe, Lord Byron, Krylov and Pushkin. I tried in vain to find English translations of his poems online. Perhaps someone can point us in the right direction.

By the way if you will look to rest Kazakh banknotes you will find left or right hand of Kazakh president mr. N.Nazarbayev….That’ s really situation in this country – guy who is control everything in KZ, include each coupure…

Sorry lived there for 20 years and Almaty does not mean father of apples. ALmaty – is not even proper Kazakh. It probably gramatically should be Almani (which means appley place). We think Russians came up with the name Alma – ata as some vaguely correct russification of the original kazakh words (I speak Kazakh well by the way). The man on the 20 Tengy note is Abai – a statesman and poet revered in Kazakhstan. He lived in the 1800’s and was a key leader in helping Kazakhs adjust to their new proximity to the Russians and bridging the gap philosophically. The main street in Almaty is named after him as is one of the universities and his statue is in the centre of the city at the beginning of Abai prospect.

Sorry lived there for 20 years and Almaty does not mean father of apples. ALmaty – is not even proper Kazakh. It probably gramatically should be Almani (which means appley place). We think Russians came up with the name Alma – ata as some vaguely correct russification of the original kazakh words (I speak Kazakh well by the way). The man on the 20 Tengy note is Abai – a statesman and poet revered in Kazakhstan. He lived in the 1800’s and was a key leader in helping Kazakhs adjust to their new proximity to the Russians and bridging the gap philosophically. The main street in Almaty is named after him as is one of the universities and his statue is in the centre of the city at the beginning of Abai prospect.

Thanks for all your interesting comments. An illustration showing the reverse side of the banknote has now been added above. I noticed that one of Abai’s poems – translated from Russian using Google – is about a horse. Could there be a link with the illustration?

Thanks for all your interesting comments. An illustration showing the reverse side of the banknote has now been added above. I noticed that one of Abai’s poems – translated from Russian using Google – is about a horse. Could there be a link with the illustration?

that 20 tenge note is out of use now. The horse with horseman on its back are probably somehow related to the nomadic way of life, Kazakhs used to live in the past, and connected to a particular poem of Abay.

that 20 tenge note is out of use now. The horse with horseman on its back are probably somehow related to the nomadic way of life, Kazakhs used to live in the past, and connected to a particular poem of Abay.

Hello, Richard. I am from Almaty, so I can tell you about my country and everything you want. The person on 20 tenge bill is Kazakhstani poet and very important person in our literature, Abai Kunanbaev. He lived between 19th and 20th century and left lots of philosophical and literature works for future. You may see that in Wikipedia! :)

Hello, Richard. I am from Almaty, so I can tell you about my country and everything you want. The person on 20 tenge bill is Kazakhstani poet and very important person in our literature, Abai Kunanbaev. He lived between 19th and 20th century and left lots of philosophical and literature works for future. You may see that in Wikipedia! :)